Love, love we do

If your toes weren’t tapping yesterday and you didn’t have a certain Beatles tune dancing through your head, you must have missed a rock ’n’ roll love song milestone.

The Beatles’ first single, “Love Me Do,” was released on Oct. 5, 1962.

We all know what happened after that. The young and talented team of singers, musicians and songwriters practically owned the 1960s, music-wise. Their albums were a staple of record players and radio stations. Their antics and public appearances left teens swooning and screaming, and grownups shaking their heads — and also, in many cases, irresistibly listening in.

Strains of the group’s influence are still at play today, in music and popular culture. And John, Paul, George and Ringo still have a part of many hearts.

“Love Me Do” isn’t the best song ever written, but at 50 it isn’t half bad. It had, and has, that Beatles magic touch — a bold beat and brash, boyish, timeless charm that made for an easy courtship with listeners.